I love learning to knit! It’s such a cumulative skill: you can learn one tiny new skill, one new way of what essentially boils down to pulling one loop of yarn through another – and the possibilities open to you suddenly become endless!
Case in point: when I first learned to purl (a very small variation on the original ‘knit’ stitch), I could suddenly create stocking stitch, moss stitch, ribbing, basket stitch, and pretty much any textured motif I wanted. All because I knew how to pull my yarn through the front of the stitch on the needle rather than the back. Magical!
(Note to self: must write tutorials for these to share)
The only downfall to learning these new skills is that you end up with endless ‘practice swatches’: little squares of knitted joy that you make when you are learning a new stitch or skill, usually
with some cheap or scrap yarn, so that any mistakes or teething problems can be worked out before you start knitting your next project with that gorgeous new yarn that you can’t wait to get your sticks into!
One thing you should know about me: I hate wasting things. Especially crafty things. The idea of having an accumulation of useless knitted swatches was never going to go down well; as I’m
incapable of throwing them away. And there are only ever so many dusters you
need.....
So....check out my new ‘phone sock’ – courtesy of my learning to do 1x1 rib for the first time. And my new cafetiere cosy; courtesy of my first foray into using cable needles. I decided that, the
only way to make use of a practice swatch was to, well, actually use it for something!
Case in point: when I first learned to purl (a very small variation on the original ‘knit’ stitch), I could suddenly create stocking stitch, moss stitch, ribbing, basket stitch, and pretty much any textured motif I wanted. All because I knew how to pull my yarn through the front of the stitch on the needle rather than the back. Magical!
(Note to self: must write tutorials for these to share)
The only downfall to learning these new skills is that you end up with endless ‘practice swatches’: little squares of knitted joy that you make when you are learning a new stitch or skill, usually
with some cheap or scrap yarn, so that any mistakes or teething problems can be worked out before you start knitting your next project with that gorgeous new yarn that you can’t wait to get your sticks into!
One thing you should know about me: I hate wasting things. Especially crafty things. The idea of having an accumulation of useless knitted swatches was never going to go down well; as I’m
incapable of throwing them away. And there are only ever so many dusters you
need.....
So....check out my new ‘phone sock’ – courtesy of my learning to do 1x1 rib for the first time. And my new cafetiere cosy; courtesy of my first foray into using cable needles. I decided that, the
only way to make use of a practice swatch was to, well, actually use it for something!
Incidentally, this has also proved useful in other ways: the phone sock provided me with much-needed practice in joining up seams; and the cafetiere cosy was the perfect opportunity to try out
pick-up-and-knit and eyelet buttonholes! So not a complete waste of effort.
Needless to say, my home is steadily filling up with these rather pointless (though undeniably joy-filled) knitted objects. My fiancé, though more tolerant that I could ever expect of him, is
becoming rather bemused with the steady appearance of mug hugs, kindle-covers and poorly-functioning knitted coasters.
I might have to start ‘gifting’ some of these out (read: fobbing them off...)
Family, friends: watch out.....
pick-up-and-knit and eyelet buttonholes! So not a complete waste of effort.
Needless to say, my home is steadily filling up with these rather pointless (though undeniably joy-filled) knitted objects. My fiancé, though more tolerant that I could ever expect of him, is
becoming rather bemused with the steady appearance of mug hugs, kindle-covers and poorly-functioning knitted coasters.
I might have to start ‘gifting’ some of these out (read: fobbing them off...)
Family, friends: watch out.....